Propagation

Since that first year when Jim Duckworth raised eco-sourced seeds and organised their planting into the reserve the project has grown and now involves a number of different groups raising plants.

Jim was instrumental (with the help of the Howick Rotrians) in resiting the shade house from Howick College to Somerville Intermediate for seed raising.

Our Lady Star of the Sea school each year raises seedlings and there are a number of friends who undertake this task as well.

All in all about 8000 seeds each year have been raised and planted out in the reserve.

Now that these pioneer species (manuka, karamu and mahoe) are forming dense thickets the emphasis is moving to eco-sourcing and raising larger canopy species. These take two or more years to grow to a size where they can be planted into the reserve.